MANGROVES

MANGROVES

Overview

Mangroves in the Philippines, and the rest of the world for that matter, play a vita role in maintaining productive coastal ecosystems and communities. Though providing a nursery for small fish and numerous crustaceans they may significant contributions to the biomass and commercial value of coral reefs; by creating a dense barrier on the coastline they protect communities from heavy storms, and the sea from land based pollution.

Despite this value, mangroves have faced deforestation pressures that have reduced their national coverage to less than 50% of what it was just 50 years ago. The reason for this loss is that many of the value of mangroves cannot be immediately seen, and are often overlooked. A misconception that has fuelled the conversion of mangroves into fish ponds and reclaimed land, leaving the coastal zone open to pollutants and heavy sedimentation, and the fisheries dwindling year by year.

To address this MCP is developing a blue carbon livelihood project. The aim of which is to greatly enhance the provincial perception of the value of mangroves through incentives, intensive education and training and direct community engagement in reversing the current state of the environment.